Elections of deputies to the State Duma were held in the Russian Federation on September 18–20, 2026. As part of the international observation of the electoral process in the Russian Federation, a delegation of observers from the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS) took part in monitoring the elections. Aziz Giyozoda, Deputy Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan, participated in monitoring the electoral process as part of the IPA CIS international observer group.
The IPA CIS international observer group consisted of 96 members and was composed of representatives of the parliaments of the Commonwealth member states, as well as specialists from the IPA CIS International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development.
During the delegation’s mission, the observers monitored the organization and conduct of voting in St. Petersburg and a number of other regions of the Russian Federation. They visited polling stations, familiarized themselves with the work of election commissions, the organization of the electoral process, and the conditions created for citizens to exercise their electoral rights.
Meetings with representatives of government bodies and agencies directly involved in the organization of the electoral process were an important part of the international observers’ program in St. Petersburg. In particular, meetings were held with St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly Alexander Belsky, representatives of the St. Petersburg Election Commission, and Sergei Knyazev, a judge of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.
During the meetings, participants discussed organizational matters, the accessibility of the electoral process, the activities of election commissions, the exercise of citizens’ electoral rights, and the use of modern information and digital technologies.
International election observation is one of the areas of interparliamentary cooperation. It enables representatives of the legislative bodies of the Commonwealth states to exchange practical experience, learn about the specific features of organizing the electoral process, and discuss current issues related to the development of parliamentary institutions.
